simmons



(No Model.)

T. P. SIMMONS.

'PERAMBULATOR. No. 281,933. Patented July 24, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

THOMAS F. SIMMONS, OF ARDENCOTE, THORNHILL ROAD, CROYDON, OOUN TY OF SURREY, ENGLAND.

PERAMBULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,933, dated July 24, 1883.

Application filed May 9, 1883. (No model.) Patented in England October 16, 1982, No. 4,912.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS Fnnnnnro SIM- MoNs, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at Ardencote, Thornhill Road, Oroydon, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Perambulators, (for which I have received Letters Patent in England, No. 4,912, dated October 16, 1882,) of which the following is a specification.

In referring herein to the vehicles to which the invention is applicable, the word perambulator is used as denoting childrens carriages, invalidcarriages, and all vehicles similarly pushed or guided by hand to which the invention may be usefully applied.

The objects of the invention are, first, the placing of the handle or handles by which the perambulator is propelled or steered in a position or positions more advantageous and comfortable to the grasp than is at present customary, the said handle or handles to be of suitable shape or shapes; second, the steering of the perambulator from the rear by means of the said handle or handles without tilting it up or raising any of its wheels from the ground; third, the prevention of the continual swerving of the perambulators from a straight course, at present common, and caused either by a misplacement of the wheels in constrnction or by their displacement during use.

The aforementioned objects are thus attained:

First. The handles are placed in the rear of the perambulator in lines parallel to or about parallel to its line of motion when propelled, instead of at right angles thereto, as has been the custom hitherto. The said handles are so placed as to be grasped by the hands with the palms facing toward each other. The said handles may be in the shape of a plow-handle, or an egg, or a globe, or a tusk, or a crook, or the two sides of a right angle with the point of the angle rounded off, or a curved cylinder. The said handles may be used either with or without the steering apparatus hereinafter described. When used without the said steering apparatus, the said handles may or not be connected by a cross tie or bar traversing the space between them.

Second. The before-mentioned steering is effected through an apparatus passing from the handles down the back and underneath the perambulator,- connecting a pivoted axle-tree carrying the front wheel or wheels with one of the handles. Thehandle-rod carrying the said handle passes through suitable brackets 01' hearings, in which it turns. By shifting the said movable handle from side to side the relative position ofthe wheels is so altered through the said apparatus as to cause the perambulator, when pushed, to turn to the right or to the left or to travel in a straight line.

In order that the nature and novelty of my invention may be clearly understood and readily put into practice, Inow proceed to explain the drawings hereto appended.

The same reference-letters indicate the same parts in each figure.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the perambulator. Fig. 2 is a plan of the aforementioned steering apparatus. Fig. 3 is a front view of the said steering apparatus. Fig. 4 is a plan of a modification in the form of the said steering apparatus which may .be substituted for that represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the drawings, A is the axle-tree, carrying the front wheels; B, a spindle turning in O, and D attachments to the springs of the perambulator. Upon the spindle B is fixed the crank E, which may be placed either above or below D. The end of the crank Eis connected by a rod, F, with the end of acrank, G, which is fixed to the lower end of H, one of the rods bearing the handles. This handle-rod turns in two brackets or bearings, I and K, fixed to the lower and upper rims of the back of the perambulator. 1

H may represent either the rod bearing the right handle or the rod bearing the left handle, the other handle-rod in either case being attached immovably to the perambulator.

In Fig. 4, instead of the connecting-rod represented in the other figures, the lever F is introduced, the fulcrum L of which is a pin attached to the bottom of the perambulator. The ends of the said lever are connected by slots and pins working therein with the cranks E and G. These cranks are fixed, respectively,

to the ends of the spindle B and the handlerod H. (Shown in the other figures.)

On account of the unevenness of some surfaces over which the perambulator may travel,

2 v sesame it is necessary that there be maintained a certain degree of stiffness in the working of the steering apparatus thus described. To effect and regulate this either a spring-washer is illserted between the attachment D and the crank. E, or the attachment D is a spring-plate bowed upward when at rest and becoming straight under pressure of Ma lock-nut screwed upon the end of the spindle B.

where the axle-tree A comes into contact with the attachment 0 there are two bosses or bearings. In order to prevent the axle-tree A, acted upon by the spindle B, turning too far, a stud or pin is lixed to either bearing, playing in a slot in the other bearing. The

axle-tree of the hinder wheels may be pivoted in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described as applying to the axle-tree of the front wheel or wheels, in which case the cranks E and G may or may not act directly upon each other by the use of a slot and pin working therein without the interposition of either the connecting-rod marked F in Figs. 1 and 2, or the lever marked F in Fig. 4.

Having now described the nature of my invention and explained the manner in which the same is carried into effect, I claim as novel and original, and therefore secured to me by Letters Patent- A child s carriage having the handles which are grasped by the hands extending in lines parallel to the line of motion of the vehicle when propelled, and one of said handles being secured to a pivoted rod, H, provided with a crank, G, in combination with the rod F, connecting the crank of the rod with the front axle, A, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS FREDERIO SIMMONS.

Vitnesses:

Ismxe D. POLLARD, Fnnnnme YVILLOUGHBY. 

